Jeremiah Denny, the clever third baseman of the New York Club, of the National League, was born March 16, 1859, in this city. When quite young he went to California, where his first professional engagement began in 1877, with the Eagle Club, of San Francisco, with which he remained three season, playing left field. He thought he was better suited for infield work, and, therefore, began his career as a third baseman in 1880, with the Athletic Club, of San Francisco. In 1881 he was engaged by the famous old Providence Club, of the National League, as third baseman, and remained with that team until it disbanded, at the close of the season of 1885, when the franchise, players, etc., were sold to President Henry Lucas, of St. Louis. Denny played with the St. Louis team of the National League, throughout the 1886 season. During the Winter of 1886-7, when the St. Louis Club's franchise, players, etc., were sold to President Brush and others, of Indianapolis, Denny was transferred to the Hoosier City, where he remained throughout the seasons of 1887-8-9. Last Spring a deal was completed whereby the Indianapolis players, or part of them, were transferred to the New York Club, of the National League. for several Winters Denny returned to his home in California, and played with one of the local teams during the cold months. He is a hard hitter and a very clever fielder. In a game between the Indianapolis and Pittsburg teams, during the season of 1889, he made a safe hit each of the six times he went to the bat. He covers a great deal of territory in his efforts to accept all chances offered him, and in doing so makes some miraculous stops. He is a swift, and generally an accurate thrower, but occasionally makes some wild throws, the ball going so far away that the base runner oftentime makes a circuit of the bases before the ball is recovered. His most noted fielding performance was in the celebrated eighteen innings Providence-Detroit game, Aug. 17, 1882, at Providence, when he accepted sixteen out of seventeen chances. Denny accepted thirteen out of fourteen chances in the New York-Cincinnati game May 29, 1890.

-New York Clipper, September 27, 1890

Jerry Denny's actual name was Jeremiah Eldridge. He used Denny as a name in order to play professional baseball while he was still in college, so he could continue to play amateur ball.

He was a heck of ballplayer and those 16 chances he took against Detroit in August of 1882 is still a Major League record for third basemen.

John C. McGeachy, whose portrait is above given, is a brilliant outfielder of the Brooklyn Club, of the Players' League. McGeachy is a native of Clinton, Mass., where he was born May 23, 1864. He is five feet eight inches in height and weighs 165 pounds. He is a steady and reliable player, a hard hitter, a sure catch and a fine base runner. His first professional engagement was in the latter part of the season of 1883 at Waterbury, Ct., where he remained during the season of 1884. In 1885 he was signed by the Long Island Club, of the Eastern League, and remained with that club until it disbanded and then he was signed by the Detroit Club, of the National League, finishing the season with it. In 1886 he signed with the St. Louis Club, also of the National League, then under Henry Lucas' management. During the following Winter the Indianapolis Club purchased the St. Louis Club's franchise, players, etc., and McGeachy was transferred to Indianapolis where he remained throughout the seasons of 1887-88-89. When the Brooklyn Club, of the Players' League, was formed during the past Winter, McGeachy was one of the men selected for its team, and he has proved a valuable man to Manager Ward. In a game between the Indianapolis and Chicago teams, during the season of 1889, McGeachy made a safe hit each of the five times he wint to bat, including three singles, a double bagger and a home run. He is without doubt one of the most promising players in the profession.

-New York Clipper, September 13, 1890

The reason that the game where McGeachey got five hits stands out is because McGeachey was a terrible hitter. The guy just, flat-out, could not hit. Over the course of his career, he "accumulated" -4.9 WAR and almost all of that negative value came from his offense, where he had -4.8 WAR. The guy couldn't hit at all.

To the Clipper's portrait gallery is added this week the picture of the well known and popular manager of the Cincinnati club, Gus H. Schmelz, who is a Western man, being born in Columbus, O., Sept. 26, 1850. Few men have done more to elevate or advance the best interests of the national game, or have made a better record or gained a wider reputation than the very popular and gentlemanly manager of the Cincinnati team. Mr. Schmelz is always in the front rank in legislative matters, as a financier and as a disciplinarian. In the latter capacity he is very firm, though kind. In his managerial career it is thought that he made only one mistake, and that was when he took charge of the ill fated St. Louis Maroons, better known professionally as the "Black Diamonds." His baseball career began at Columbus, O., in 1884, when he managed the famous team of that city, which was at that time a member of the American Association, and which finished second in the race for the championship, thirteen clubs in all taking part in the struggle. Under his direction Ed. Morris and Fred Carroll, now of the Pittsburgs, became the famous "battery" of the Columbus Club. In 1885 Mr. Schmelz went to Atlanta, Ga., and organized and managed the Atlanta Club of that city, and he guided that team safely through the season and won for the Gate City the Southern League pennant. by this time his reputation had reached its eminence in baseball circles, and quite a demand was made for his services. He finally signed with the St. Louis Maroons, and managed that team during the season of 1886. The "Black Diamonds" were not a brilliant success, however, and came in sixth in the National League race for the pennant, although no fault can be attached to Manager Schmelz for their failure. In 1887, he was engaged to manage the Cincinnati team, and he has met with success ever since he joined the club. Under his management the Cincinnatis came in second last year in the race for the pennant of the American Association. He was retained by the club to manage the team during the season of 1888, and, notwithstanding the fact that several of his strongest players were injured or sick during a greater part of the season, he landed the Cincinnati team in fourth place. Gus Schmelz, has been again engaged by the Cincinnati Club, and will manage its team for 1889. Undoubtedly this is a commendation well merited, and fully shows how well his services are appreciated by the officials of that club. He has already started in with his preparations for the season of 1889 in a way that gives assurance to the admirers of the club in the Queen City that nothing will be left undone to give it a most creditable representative professional team. His search for available material for next season's team has fully demonstrated his "hustling" abilities. A more shrewd and conservative manager cannot be found west of the Alleghenies, than the subject of our biographical sketch, and in the American Association councils he ranks as one of the leaders, and one who commands the respect of his fellow magnates as well as those of the whole profession.

-New York Clipper, December 15, 1888

Not a lot of information here about Gus Schmelz's time with the Maroons but I think this piece gives a good sense of the man's reputation.